Indians catcher sidelined 2 months

Yan Gomes hobbled toward home plate on crutches to accept an award.

Sadly, Cleveland’s catcher won’t be getting back there anytime soon.

Gomes could be out of the Indians’ lineup for two months with a sprained right knee ligament, an injury that dealt an early blow to a team expected to contend this season.

Gomes, one of the Indians’ best players, sustained a moderate sprain of the medial collateral ligament on a play at the plate Saturday. The team expects him to be out at least six weeks. An MRI at the Cleveland Clinic on Sunday revealed the sprain.

“Anytime you lose him for any amount of time it’s not good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said after the Indians lost 8-5 to Detroit. “In the really big picture, it could have been worse. This is about what we thought after talking to the trainers last night.”

Gomes’ leg was jolted by Detroit’s Rajai Davis, who slid hard on a force play and clipped the catcher’s right leg as he was extended like a first baseman making a catch.

Before Sunday’s game Gomes was placed on the 15-day disabled list and it wasn’t too long afterward that he and teammate Michael Brantley, who missed his fourth game with a back issue, were on the field receiving their 2014 Silver Slugger Awards.

It was a tough sight for the Indians.

“We’ve got some guys who are more than qualified to step in and take up their roles,” second baseman Jason Kipnis said. “But it’s hard to replace two Silver Sluggers and two leaders of this team.”

Gomes is the club’s top right-handed power hitter and a solid defensive player. Last season, he led all A.L. catchers in average (.278) and extra-base hits (49). He was second in RBIs (74) and homers (21).

Axford with son

The Colorado Rockies have placed reliever John Axford on the family medical emergency list so he can tend to his young son, who was bitten by a rattlesnake last month in Arizona.

Axford said that his 2-year-old son recently had surgery on his right foot to remove necrotic tissue and will be flown to Denver for more treatment.

His son, Jameson, was bitten twice in the yard of the house his family rented in Scottsdale for spring training. Axford will be gone for 3-7 days.

Pujols passes trio

Albert Pujols has hit his 522nd home run, breaking a tie with Ted Williams, Willie McCovey and Frank Thomas for 18th place on the career list.

Pujols’ second homer this season came off Yordano Ventura. The young Royal became the 334th different pitcher the three-time N.L. MVP and nine-time All-Star has homered against during his 15-year career.

Pujols’ next target on the home run list is Jimmie Foxx at 534.